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About the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children

As the state affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Indiana AEYC is a statewide, nonprofit organization with 16 chapters and over 2,000 members. Indiana AEYC has a 51-year history of promoting and supporting quality care and education for all young children, birth through age eight, in Indiana. Our mission is accomplished by concentrating on offering professional development for those in the early care and education profession, improving program quality, and championing public policy pertinent to young children.

Professional Development:
Children benefit from our focus on providing professional development opportunities to adults working in the early childhood field! Teacher quality ensures that children have access to the kinds of environments that help them learn and grow! Indiana AEYC offers professional development through the following initiatives:

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® INDIANA Project is the umbrella for a variety of scholarships open to those who work in licensed, registered, or exempt child care centers, homes, and ministries. T.E.A.C.H. links training, compensation, and commitment in order to improve the quality of care and education that young children experience. (T.E.A.C.H. – Teacher Education And Compensation Helps® – is funded by the Indiana AEYC and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Family Resources, Bureau of Child Care)

Indiana Non Formal Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Project helps to improve the quality of child care by increasing the education and skills of providers through attainment of the CDA Credential. CDA is a national credential that indicates that individuals are prepared to meet the specific needs of children by nurturing their physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth. This project provides participants with training courses, text books, advising, direct eligibility for the CDA Assessment, and a financial bonus. (In April 2004, Indiana AEYC received financial support from the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Family Resources, Bureau of Child Care)

Indiana Early Childhood Conference is an annual event that brings together an average of 4,000 early childhood professionals. The three-day event provides for presentations from experts on child development, early intervention, school readiness, effective communication between the school/child care center and home, sound money management strategies for child care centers, and more!

Program Recognition and Support:Quality early childhood programs set the tone for success in school and in life because they help children become better prepared for school!

Indiana Accreditation Project assists early childhood facilities, child care homes, and school-age programs in becoming accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the National Association for Family Child Care, the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation, the Association of Christian Schools International, and the Council on Accreditation. Accreditation is an indication that staff is prepared to make a commitment to program evaluation, improvement, and quality. This project offers financial assistance for accreditation fees, technical assistance through Quality Advisors, and mentoring. (Financial support provided by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Family Resources, Bureau of Child Care, and Indiana AEYC)

Public Policy:
Research reveals that the earliest influences on children establish the framework of their lives. Ensuring a strong start for our children requires a comprehensive approach that includes health care, family assistance, education, community involvement, and related areas. Indiana AEYC’s public policy efforts include a Public Policy Academy, conducting an annual survey of policy makers and Indiana AEYC members, and creating a Public Policy Agenda each year.